Bengaluru: While most Bengalureans were lazing on a Sunday, Indiranagar residents along with Swaratma band, known for their singing for social causes, registered their protest against the proposed chopping of trees for remodelling of Indiranagar BDA.
Actors Chetan, Sruthi Hariharan, AAP's Mohan Dasari and Srinivas Alavili of Citizens for Bengaluru also joined the residents of Indiranagar and registered their protest.
Jishnu of Swaratma band said, "We have been performing at various venues like Delhi, Mumbai etc. After we got to know that 171 trees will be axed, we thought why not sing for the trees? So we decided to perform below the venue of trees like Peepal tree, Rain Tree, Banyan Tree and Pride of Indian tree."
As musicians we should also respond the happenings around us. Trees also have a life and we should respect that. Development should not just mean chopping of trees, added Jishnu.
Srinivas Alavalli of Citizens for Bengaluru, the umbrella organisation which organised protest against the steel flyover and prevented the chopping of nearly 2,000 trees, said "Swarathma is special - they represent the soul of this city beautifully expressed in their music. It is inspiring to see actor Chetan and Sruthi Hariharan show up at the BDA complex in solidarity with so many citizens."
Together we can stop the madness of cutting trees in the name of "redevelopment" and preserve those beautiful trees that define Bengaluru, he added.
